New Delhi: The Centre today (Feb 19, 2004) expressed serious concern over the high rate of acquittal in criminal cases and said this would "incentivise" crime leading to absence of fear of severe punishment among the criminals.

Speaking on the subject of "Reforms in Criminal Justice System" organised by the Delhi Police, Law and Justice Minister Arun Jaitley said, "93 per cent acquittal in the criminal cases would lead to crime being incentivised."

Apart from reforms introduced by the Government on criminal justice system, the most important aspect of the failure of the justice system was the lack of punishment for telling a lie before the court on oath, he said.

"Majesty of the justice system is gradually getting eroded because to make a false statement before a court is one of the easiest things. The disconnection between evidence and truth has made the courts and judges helpless," Jaitley said and added this could be corrected by dealing those indulging in perjury severely.

He said the fast track courts (FTCs) established across the country have eased quite a lot of pressure on the sessions courts and the Government has recommended to the Finance Commission to consider extending this scheme to magisterial courts also.

Speaking at the function, Delhi police commissioner K K Paul said the archaic criminal laws needed a complete overhauling, as these laws drafted in the colonial era drive a wedge between the police and public.